|
Modern
Spagthorpe:
Yorkie
From what I recall, the unique part of the design was that it had a single-tube tubular frame,
and some sort of truly bizarre backwards Earles front suspension. I'll post more information
if I find it.
Digging through some old books at the Science Museum Library, one rainy day in London, I
came across the following (badly written) article concerning the Yorkie scooter. I copied it
for future interest and, prompted by Mr. Quist's curiosity, I dug it out. Unfortunately, a
bottle of linseed oil (used for oiling cricket bats and other small furry sporting creatures)
had been spilt on it and all the pictures and diagrams were ruined.
| Name |
Yorkie |
| Manufacturer |
Spagthorpe
Motorbike Works, Dulwin-on-Marsh, Ipsley. |
| Type |
Scooter. |
| Fuel |
Users
choice. Primarily petrol and castor-oil. |
| Colour |
Black,
chrome and grey with BRG detailing. |
| Power |
Variable,
depends on fuel type. 25-175BHP. |
| Taxation
class |
Bicycle.
|
| Options |
Sidecar,
gun-mounts (MOD use only), skids, high output generator, candy-floss
whipper (very popular at fairs) extra lighting, race fairing, etc. |
| Weight |
19
stone. |
| Performance |
Variable,
depends on tuning and fuel. Known to top 170MPH |
| Transmission |
Belt-drive.
Centrifugal clutch with Castor-oil hydraulic semi-automatic gear-changing
system - Spagthorpe Half Integral Transmission system (S.H.I.T.) |
| Passengers |
Two,
plus rider. Separate, heated seats are provided. |
| Tyres |
Avlop:
A Stickwell on the rear and a Gripright on the front. |
| Electrics |
The
Yorkie was the first Spagthorpe to feature the famous SWEAT system.
(Spagthorpe Wireless ElectricAl Transmission). The Magneto's
output was transmitted through a special aerial and devices requiring
electricity used the Spagthorpe Condenser Aerial Receiver crYstal
systems (SCARY) for their feed. The riders had to ensure that they
wore no metal as the induced current could cause severe local heat
problems. |
| Engine |
The
Yorkie used a contra-rotating pair of rotary engines, turning in a
bath of castor oil. Sparking plugs were connected to the ignition
system by means of contacts on the inside of the motor housing whenever
the rotary engine was in the correct position in its cycle, thus eliminating
the need for a distributor, timing system and HT leads and sparking
plug caps. The whole motor was supercharged by an early version of
the supercharger used later on by Rolls Royce for the Merlin engine
used in Spitfires, Lancasters, etc. The engine was robust enough to
use all manner of fuel types but castor oil had to be added to the
fuel to lubricate the rotating pistons, con-rods and bearings. |
| Chassis |
The
frame was made from a single tube, about two foot in diameter. Various
sections were cut out to allow the rider, wheels and engine unit to
be accommodated. This system is unique and made the whole machine
resemble a "Flash Gordon" type of rocket. |
| Suspension |
Reverse
Earles-Fork, as pioneered by the Spagthorpe Greyhound
series. Braking caused the front-end to rise and thus put more pressure
on the rear and allowing the rear brake to be more effective. Discontinued
shortly afterwards due in no small way to the outcome of the famous
Lord Davenport crash inquiry when he sued the Spagthorpe Company after
flipping his Greyhound completely over during a spot of emergency
braking. |
| Carburation |
Anal
Gasper, two and a half inch bore with exterior jets. Side tickler
and float chamber glass were optional. |
As I said before,
the diagrams and pictures are now unreadable. Sorry.
The Yorkie evolved into the Dauntless, of which the following tale appears in the archives:
My Cushman was
idling at the stop light and here comes an all-black Spagthorpe Dauntless.
It was so named because, with that high-powered supercharged 2-stroke
motor and the nimble handling provided by 8" tyres, both the scooter
and the rider could not let a trace of fear into their hearts.
Well, that was
the line, anyway. I certainly wasn't afraid -- the Cushman was short
on power, but my foe was wearing aviator goggles and a leather baseball
cap, so I knew him to be a new rider incapable of judging the lights.
When the light
turned green, I let off the brake (the motor was wide open, but the
Cushman brake was able to restrain all 5hp) and took the holes hot.
For the next block I watched the Spagthorpe rider kick his scooter back
into life, he having dumped the clutch and not bothered with getting
the motor anywhere above 1500rpm. I was set for a perfect victory, and
visions of champagne and scantily-clad women filled my eyes. I should
have watched the mirrors instead.
Suddenly I was
passed by this black streak, and the Cushman sputtered to a stop. As
I sat, wondering what the matter might be, I was passed by several fire
trucks, apparently all headed towards that inferno three blocks distant.
Only later was I able to piece together what had happened.
The Spagthorpe
passing me had created such a vacuum that it literally sucked the air
out of the carburator on my Cushman. This is what caused it to die.
Spagthorpe was
never known for incredible braking, however, and post-accident investigations
show that the belt-drive on the supercharger broke. Thus, the rider
closed the throttle, the supercharger spun free, and at least 30psi
of boost opened the carburator butterfly. This was a known trait on
the supercharged models, but one most riders could live with. The poor
rider of that particular model swerved around obstructions for three
blocks before his wide-open motor dropped a rod and the hot oil ignited
the gasoline tank, which explains the inferno. The rider, however, merely
side-stepped through the EZ-Ryder frame and was unscathed.
There are few surviving
examples of this Scooter From Hell, and perhaps this is as it should
be. Had I been able to acquire one, not only would I have won the race,
I wouldn't be here today telling my tale of losing, and liking it, to
a Spagthorpe Dauntless.
From:
Nick Pettefar (npet@bnr.ca)
Subject: Re: Spagthorpe vs. Cushman
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles
Date: 1993-02-23 09:52:18 PST |
